Slab casting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A vertical mould for casting concrete or other hardenable material in which one side of the mould can be lowered into a horizontal position to permit the preforming of certain layers and the positioning of fittings and reinforcement before being raised and secured for the main casting operation.

United States Patent 1 1 Kleiber et a1. 5] Apr. 3, 1973 54] SLAB CASTING APPARATUS 3,097,397 7 1963 Leach ..425/442 x v I 1,176,346 3/1916 Cooper ..249/167 X [76] Inventors: Armin Klelber, Mozartstrasse 5; 1,196,324 9/1916 249/137 X Wilfred Schmidt, R nnberg rasse 3,110,949 11/1963 Ditullio ..249/120 x both of 75 Karlsruhe, Germany 447,804 3/1891 Wooster... .249/137 1 884,965 4/1908 Walker ..'....249/137 2 23, 1970 1,943,026 1/1934 McCreary ..249/137 x [21] Appl. No.: 91,789

Primary Examiner--J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Foreign Application Y Data Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack many 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl .249] 171 A v rtical mould for casting concrete or other [51] Int. Cl. ..B28b 7/22 hardenable material in which one side of the mould [58] Field of Search ..249/126, 163, 167, 170, 171, can be lowered into a horizontal position to permit the 249/117, 120, 125,137, 139, l69;425/4.4l, preforming' of certain layers and the positioning of 442, 450 fittings and reinforcement before being raised and secured for the main casting operation. 56 References Cited I I 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,462,186 7/1923 Zcnke ..249/170 X a o 00000000 00 coo p b J PATENTEDAPRB I975 8; 724.805

ARMIN KLEIBER and WILFRED SCHMIDT,

lnvenfors Attorneys SLAB CASTING APPARATUS The invention relates to an apparatus and method for the production of large slab mouldings from a hardenable material, and in particular concrete mouldings incorporating reinforcement and/or supplementary fittings.

Diverse apparatus is already known for the production of large concrete mouldings. Thus, with tilting tables the forming surface is readily accessible and the location of small sanitary fittings and installational parts for incorporation in the slab is easy. Consequently concrete slab requiring the location of inserted parts on the creation of recesses, can be readily produced either entirely of concrete or as composite slabs of layered construction. Since the production time on each table is freely selectable, slabs of different sizes and containing different types of reinforcement can be simultaneously produced on several such tables.

However, one drawback is the necessity for pouring the concrete very uniformly to obtain a slab of the necessary thickness. As the top of the slab must be manually or mechanically smoothed, a surface finish equal in quality to that on the side resting on the table top is difficult to achieve. If the table is also equipped for heating, as is common practice considerable thermal radiation loss may occur from the top surface of the concrete slab, and this loss can be only partly avoided by providing a cover. Dry heating, i.e., without the employment of stream, by using heating means directly attached to the table is only of limited value.

Withlarge-surfaced slabs, the resultant thermal gradient through the slab may impair the uniformity of the set. v

' Another form for the production of large-surfaced concrete slabs is known as a multiple form. In these forms concrete slabs are produced between vertical plates and intermediate partitions. This system is able to provide a useful and uniform dry heating effect emanating from the partitions. The concrete slabs set evenly and, after having quickly achieved a sufficient degree of mechanical strengths, they can be removed, without the additional operations involved with a tilting table, by withdrawing them upwardly with a crane or hydraulic jack.

However, drawbacks during production arise because of the time wasted in preparation procedures. With multiple forms two castings a day can be achieved only if the slabs being cast are very simple in form. With large-surfaced concrete parts containing complicated reinforcements necessitated by the inclusion of installational fittings and so forth, lengthy preparations are required that permit casting only once a day.

In such circumstances, the advantage of this speed setting by heating becomes nullified, since after pouring the concrete in the afternoon there is always sufficient time for setting until the next morning without special heating. Another drawback is that because of the height of the form, the locations and fixing of the reinforcement in a multiple form can be accomplished only by using ladders or scaffolding within the form.

The invention provides a form for the casting of large slab mouldings, with-the major faces thereof oriented vertically, form hardenable material, said form comprising means defining a plurality of substantially vertical moulding surfaces with at least one of said moulding surfaces being provided on a member pivotable into a substantially horizontal position, a pivot mounting said pivotable member, a sealing member at the lower end of the pivotable member, actuator means for moving the pivotable member between the horizontal and vertical positions, and means for securing the pivotable member in the vertical position.

The advantage of such a form is that the positioning of the reinforcement and/or of the supplementary fittings can be accomplished at a convenient level in a horizontal position, as with a tilt-up table. When the reinforcement has been prepared the pivotable member is raised into a vertical position by hydraulic or pneumatic drive means and secured to the rigid vertical part of the form, preferably by swivel type tiebolt fastners. The use of two tilt-up parts in conjunction with one central vertical part of a form permits the two pivotable members of one form to be used either in alternation or several such forms to be used in a manner representing a true combination of a tilt-up table with a multiple form.

It may also be useful to provide vertically adjustable elements for supporting the bottom edge sealing element when the tilt-up part of the form has been raised into the vertical position. This is an arrangement that provides favorable load bearing conditions and easy adjustability.

Further advantages may be achieved by equipping one or both of the fixed and the pivotable parts of the form, with heating means.

Preferably each pivotable member of the form consists of a panel stiffened by backing girders adapted to cooperate with the swivel type tiebolt fasteners. The fasteners are preferably hinged to the fixed vertical part of the form.

Yet another improvement of the proposed arrangement may be achieved by supporting the pivotable member in its horizontal position on resilient abutments, and by providing a vibrator that is engageable with this part of the form. Such an arrangement enables the concrete to be vibrated on the pivotable member when lowered, a facility of considerable importance in the production of multi-layer composite slabs generally known as slabs of sandwich construction.

A vibrator may also be provided on the vertical part of the form. This will be used when the concrete is not poured until after the pivotable member has been raised. 7

The vertical part of the form may be mounted in symmetrically on solebars which on each side of said vertical part carry slidably displaceable pedestals to which the pivotable members are hingeably attached. Hydraulic actuator cylinders may be arranged to connect the bracing frame of each tilt-up part of the form to one end of the solebars. The resultant working unit provides a conveniently accessible working surface as well as adequate stability to withstand the high operating loads that may occur. With particular advantage elevationally adjustable bottom form ends may be provided adjacent the surface of the vertical part of the form in such manner, that the bottom edge sealing elements will bear on said form ends when the corresponding pivotable member is raised into the vertical position. I

This form, as already explained, is suitable for the production of slabs made solely of concrete as well as of somcalled sandwich type slabs which comprise several layers. Solid concrete slabs or plates can be produced by first positioning the reinforcement, and any fittings that are to be embedded, on the pivotable member in the horizontal position. The upper form end is thenremoved, the pivotable member raised into the vertical position so that the bottom end sealing element bears on the elevationally adjustable bottom form end. The pivotable member is' then secured in the vertical position and the concrete poured, the casting being compacted and heated by the vibrating and heating means that are provided. This method of operation is convenient for precasting solid concrete parts, whereas the production of composite layered slabs may best be accomplished by using a slightly modified method. Such slabs are preferably produced by first producing a facing slab on the pivotable member of the form in the horizontal position and insulating this slab by covering it with an insulating material, the facing slab being compacted by the associated vibrator. Thefacing slab is then heated to set the concrete and, in the meantime the reinforcement and fittings required for incorporation in the finished slab are located thereon. When the facing slab has sufficiently set it is tilted into the vertical position together with the reinforcement and fittings. After the pivotable member has been secured to the vertical part of the form, concrete is poured into the cavity between the heat insulation of the facing slab and the surface of the vertical part of the form. The concrete is compacted by the vibrator'associated with the fixed part of the form and heating of the freshly castbaseplate by the heating device in the vertical part of the form begins whilst heating of the facing slab by the heating means in the pivotable member continues.

A special advantage is the possibility of operating the forms in rotation, one slab or two slabs setting in one form whilst preparatory work proceeds on the horizontal lowered parts of another form. It is thus possible to increase the rate of precast slab production substantially above the rate that can be achieved in multiple forms.

An embodiment of the invention is schematically shown in the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, two solebars l and 2 (of which only one can be seen in the drawing) carry a fixed vertical support 3. Two slidable pedestals 8 and 9 have transverse guide pins horizontally movable in axially alignedslots 4, 5 and 6, 7 in the solebars 1 and 2. Members 10, 11 of the form, which are pivoted to the slidable pedestals 8 and 9 respectively, each comprise plate members 14, backed by girders 12, 13 and bracing frames 16, 17 respectively. The bracing frames 16, 17 are fitted with brackets 18, 19 for the reception of swivel type fasteners 20, 21 attached to a yoke 22 across the head of the vertical part 3 of the form.

For hingeably raisingand lowering the members 10, 11 of the form hydraulic actuator cylinders 23, 24 are provided. These are pivotably attached at one end to the ends of the solebars 1, 2, whereas the other ends are linked to the bracing frames 16, 17. The hydraulic actuating cylinders are controlled by means well known in the art.

For supporting the pivotable members 10 and 11 of the form in their horizontal end positions, resilient abutments 25, 25a ad 26, 26a are provided. A vibrator 27 which engages part 10 of the form only when the latter is in the horizontal position, or which may be arranged to move together with part 10, serves for vibrating the latter in the horizontal position. Another vibrator 28 is provided in the vertical part 3 of the form.

The vertical part 3 as well as the members 10 and 11 of the form contain heating means 29, 30, 31 all, or some of which can be activated according to the desired method of working.v

For the horizontal adjustment of the pedestal slides 8, 9 suitable turnbuckle type adjusters 32, 33 are provid'ed. These each extend between the vertical part 3 of the form and one of the pedestal slides 8 and 9.

The pivotable member 10 and 11 of the form are fitted with adjustable joint sealing elements 34, 35. Vertically adjustable form ends 36, 37 are provided at the bottom of each face of the vertical part 3 of the form. Naturally this arrangement can be modified and the adjustable sealing elements 34, 35 arranged to bear down directly on the form ends 36, 37, or on suitable abutments. A detachable form end 38 is also provided The actuator cylinder 23 is then operated to raise the member 10 to the vertical position where it is secured by the swivel fastener 20 engaging with the bracket 18. The concrete is then poured to form the baseplate similar to the baseplate 41 shown in the drawing.

For the production of solid concrete parts the process is simplified because only the reinforcement and supplementary fittings need be positioned on the pivotable members in the horizontal position, the concrete being filled in to the mould after the members 10, 1 l have been raised.

In the case of composite sandwich type slabs the facing 39, 39a may consist of plaster or materials resembling plaster, whereas the insulation-40,40a may consist of an expanded plastics material. The concrete baseplates are then moulded to these layers in the vertical position. Suitable ties may be inserted between the facing and the baseplate in each case.

We claim:

l. A form for the casting of large slab moldings, with the major faces thereof disposed vertically, comprising a pair of horizontally mounted solebars, a fixed vertical form member mounted symmetrically between said solebars, at least one pivotable form member, pivot means mounting the pivotable form member for movement between a substantially horizontal position and a vertical position, actuator means for moving the pivotable form member between the horizontal and vertical positions, and means for securing the pivotable form member to the fixed vertical form member when the pivotable form member is in the vertical position, said pivot means comprising at least one sliding pedestal having guide pins extending through guide slots defined by said solebars.

2. A form for the casting of large slab moldings with the major faces thereof disposed vertically, comprising a fixed vertical form member and at least one pivotable form member, pivot means mounting the pivotable form member for movement between a substantially horizontal position and a vertical position, actuator means for moving the pivotable form member between the horizontal and vertical positions, and means for securing the pivotable form member to the fixed verti- 

1. A form for the casting of large slab moldings, with the major faces thereof disposed vertically, comprising a pair of horizontally mounted solebars, a fixed vertical form member mounted symmetrically between said solebars, at least one pivotable form member, pivot means mounting the pivotable form member for movement between a substantially horizontal position and a vertical position, actuator means for moving the pivotable form member between the horizontal and vertical positions, and means for securing the pivotable form member to the fixed vertical form member when the pivotable form member is in the vertical position, said pivot means comprising at least one sliding pedestal having guide pins extending through guide slots defined by said solebars.
 2. A form for the casting of large slab moldings with the major faces thereof disposed vertically, comprising a fixed vertical form member and at least one pivotable form member, pivot means mounting the pivotable form member for movement between a substantially horizontal position and a vertical position, actuator means for moving the pivotable form member between the horizontal and vertical positions, and means for securing the pivotable form member to the fixed vertical form member when the pivotable form member is in the vertical position, said pivotable form member comprising a panel having a molding surface on one side thereof and a reinforcing frame secured to the other side thereof, said reinforcing frame comprising a bracing frame extending perpendicularly from the panel and having resilient supports secured thereon for supporting the pivotable member in a horizontal position.
 3. A form as claimed in claim 1, wherein a vertically adjustable bottom form end is provided adjacent to the fixed vertical form member. 